How do I thaw out my frozen car door locks?

Question

Thanks to freezing cold weather, the locks on my car doors and trunk have frozen! How do I thaw them out?

Answer 1

Find a way to squirt rubbing alcohol into the lock cylinder.

Answer 2

Take your door lock key. Heat it up with lighter (or bronz-o-burner). Hold it with a pliers. When it is fairly hot, put it in the key hole and let the heat spread (few seconds). If that doesn't work, try again.

I saw a mechanic do this and it worked well.

Afterward, squirt some lub like wd40 (WATER DISPLACEMENT formula 40). It will keep water off the lock mechanism for the next freeze.


Good Luck.

Answer 3

If you put some alcohol in the keyhole it will not freeze and any cold (put it in the keyhole at the evening, before it freeze). Rubbing alcohol will be fine too. It's freezing point is way, way lower then water. At the cold temperature alcohol will note vaporize it just will be a fluid. This will not do any corrosion to your lock as the hot water will, or fire that can burn paint on the car and you will really have to breath in the straw like a dragon for a long time before your lock will unfreeze.

Answer 4

I would avoid using hot water to thaw..it will cool and re freeze after you get it unlocked and back to square one. Carry a lighter to heat your key works, ive had to do it before. They also sell lock-de icer at walmart that works good

Answer 5

all are good answers, but if you are stuck without any of these fixes, take a lighter and heat up the key, then put it in the lock and turn it back and forth a few times. you may have to heat it up a few times and repeat the procedure, but it should eventually work. now you can drive to get some lock deicer.

Answer 6

Hi... I have a couple of ideas that might help.. One is simple, carry a cigarette lighter.. The other you can store in your glove compartment or center console, a mini butaine torch.. It's great for what your talking about, cheap and readily available.. Good luck..

Answer 7

One of these comments suggested keeping a butane torch in your glove compartment. What ever you decide, torch, lighter, lock deicer, or whatever, DO NOT KEEP IT IN YOUR GLOVE COMPARTMENT!!!. If you are locked out of your car, what good will something inside of your car will help if you can't get to it.

Answer 8

get a 5 gallon bucket of hot water and dump it down the door seam in the back of the door where the lock mechanism is.

Answer 9

many auto parts stores carry products to alleviate that problem

Answer 10

Use a hairdryer.